M/Y Galaxy: Central & West Galapagos Islands

Duration: 8 days

from A$5649

Journey through the Western and Central islands of the Galapagos aboard the exceptional Galaxy Yacht. Accommodating only 16 passengers, its spacious outdoors will give you the best vantage point to enjoy this incredible destination. Experienced naturalist guides will ensure each day offers another incredible wildlife encounter

Itinerary Highlights

Tour in Espinoza Point where you will find big colonies of marine iguanas and other unique animals only seen in Fernandina Island

Find giant tortoises of the Galapagos in their natural habitat

Experience snorkelling on the coasts of different islands in the Galapagos

Visit the breeding centre for the different species of tortoises and see its beautiful gardens composed of native plants

Itinerary in Brief

Day 1: Baltra Airport - Santa Cruz Highlands

Day 2: Tintoreras & Breeding Centre (Isabela)

Day 3: Elizabeth Bay (Isabela) - Urbina Bay (Isabela)

Day 4: Tagus Cove & Espinoza Point (Fernandina)

Day 5: Egas Port & Espumilla Beach (Santiago)

Day 6: Dragon Hill & Black Turtle Cove (Santa Cruz)

Day 7: Rabida Island - Chinese Hat

Day 8: North Seymour Island - Baltra Airport

Day 1: Baltra Island - Santa Cruz Highlands

Arrive to Baltra Airport. Once you arrive, your guide will be waiting for you. Transfer to Santa Cruz Island, we will be crossing the Itabaca Chanel (from airport to this place is around 15 minutes), after this we take our private bus to Puerto Ayora.

After lunch, our first visit is Highlands of Santa Cruz, where we will find giant tortoises in their natural habitat while trekking along the island. For this visit we recommend to use sport shoes, long pants, raincoat, hut and sun block. Back to Puerto Ayora.

Lunch & dinner included.

Day 2: Isabela Island - Tintoreras & Breeding Center

Located at south of Puerto Villamil, we will arrive to this place by panga. There is a small bay located in the area where you can appreciate sea lions, marine tortoises, marine iguanas and rays. For the most part of this trail, we will find volcanic lava of type AA from which is was made of. Tintoreras is one of places where the introduction iguana has been successful.

The Breeding Centre is located 1.5 km from Puerto Villamil. This place is dedicated to the reproduction of several species of tortoises in captivity; here we will find 330 tortoises between youthful and adult. The Breeding Centre consists of beautiful gardens composed by native plants. Poza de Flamingos is a wonderful place where you can find flamingos and get wonderful photos of those birds. After this, we will be crossing a mangle area, to reach Concha y Perla, which is a great place for swimming and snorkelling.

Breakfast, lunch & dinner is included.

Day 3: Isabela Island - Elizabeth Bay & Urbina Bay

This is one of the island's breeding sites for penguins. Located on the west coast of Isabela, Elizabeth Point is a marine visitor site. During our visit to the red mangrove cove, animals such as brown pelicans, flightless cormorants, spotted eagle rays, golden rays and sea lions are often seen.

This place is located at the base of Alcedo Volcano between Elizabeth Bay and Tagus Cove (wet landing). Trail length is around 3.20 km; during this walk, we will be able to observe land iguanas, hawks, tortoises; as well as red and blue lobsters.

Breakfast, lunch & dinner is included.

Day 4 : Isabela & Fernandina Island - Tagus Cove & Espinosa Point

It is located at west of Darwin Volcano in Isabela Island. During our walking we will find several inscriptions (names of boat’s pirates) since 1800.The name 'Tagus Cove' originated from an England ship which crossed the island looking for Galapagos tortoise to feed the crew. From this area we can admire the Darwin Lake which has salt water and is approximately 9 meters deep. Unfortunately, no fishes can be views in this lake, however there is a vast range of different species of birds that can be viewed.

Fernandina is the 3rd island bigger of Galapagos and has just one visit place: Espinoza Point. Espinoza Point is the only attraction in Fernandina Island. This site is famous for its big colonies of marine iguanas, only habitat for flightless Cormorant, Galapagos penguin, hawk, snakes of Galapagos and many other. From Espinoza Point we can admire Fernandina Island and its volcano which last eruption was on May 2005. This island is the only island that is not inhabited by mammals. Due to its unique animals, its open areas are very fragile especially during nesting time of marine iguanas which occurs from January to June. Return to Galaxy.

Breakfast, lunch & dinner is included.

Day 5: Santiago Island - Egas Port & Espumilla Beach

In this site we will find a black sand beach; at south of this beach there is a volcano called Pan de Azucar, its volcanic deposits have contributed to the formation of this black sand beach. The crater of this volcano has a salt lake which in warm time becomes dry and it is possible to appreciate a salt mine. Between 1928 and 1930 there were some explorations to this mine but they didn’t function; additionally, it caused damages to the environment because of workers use endemic woods. It is not allowed go down to salt mine. Return to Galaxy.

One of the main attractions of this site is a Palo Santo wood, the beach and landscape; the beach is a very important site for tortoises because they use this place for nesting.

Breakfast, lunch & dinner is included.

Day 6: Santa Cruz Island - Dragon Hill & Black Turtle Cove

The visitor’s site at Dragon Hill is located in north-western Santa Cruz Island, and consists of a trail that runs through three different environments at just 1,600 m long.

After lunch our first visit is to Black Turtle Cove which is situated in the northern of Santa Cruz. This bay is surrounded by mangroves and is accessible by dinghy only. The superficial cove is a safe refuge for marine life. Black-tip reef sharks, marine turtles, and a variety of rays are often spotted here.

Breakfast, lunch & dinner is included.

Day 7: Rabida Island - Chinese Hat

The visitor site is located on the east coast of Rabida Island which consists of a red sand beach, a coastal lagoon behind the beach, and a loop trail. The distance of this trail is approximately 1.1 km. The colour of the rocks and sand on the beach is due to the very porous volcanic material, which with the help of environmental factors (rain, salt water and sea breeze), has acted as an oxidizing agent. The main attraction of the place is the red sand beach, scenery, aside from the vegetation of the arid zone and the presence of native and endemic species.

Chinese Hat is a small islet located near the south-east coast of Santiago. It's shaped like a Chinese hat when seen from afar. It is an island consisting of a cone type "Splatter" (lava ejected as drops and falls close to where it came from, which forms a cone inclined) that forms the summit and many lava tubes that go down to the coast.

Breakfast, lunch & dinner is included.

Day 8: North Seymour Island - Baltra Airport

This island was formed by the lifting of volcanic marine lava. Marine fossil where found in this island; the fossil dates from Pleistocene. In 1932 the Capitan Alan Hancock and his crew took 72 land iguanas from Baltra Island and the iguanas were introduced in North Seymour Island; the reason of this change was that the iguanas could live in better conditions than in Baltra. The crew of Capitan Hancock found malnourished iguanas in Baltra; in 1934 colonizing people verified that the iguanas were in good conditions.

SHIP CABINS: GALAXY YACHT

Galaxy has 9 beautiful and comfortable double cabins for 16 passengers; 3 cabins are located in the upper deck, 3 in the main deck and 3 in the lower deck. Our physical capacity is for 18 passengers being this one advantage more to offer space and facility to accommodate single passengers, tour leaders, which creates on board a very personalized service.